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User Review : The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass

Single player story{Inclusion of online play{Graphics are on a level that more DS games need to reach

Downs

Boring boat trips that will leave you wishing your ship had a turbo speed{A central point that is really un-needed for the attempt to lengthen the game{Online oppenents who quite contantly the second they are losing

Not just another Zelda game

Another Zelda game may not be what Nintendo needs but this is exactly what the DS needs. Over the years Zelda has been extremely played out on every console Nintendo has produced for with the DS Nintendo has taken it's time introducing Zelda and this hesitation has paid off with this fantastic and lovable addition.

In this latest Zelda adventure the main character is somewhat of a mystery because when you first meet the hero there is back story describing the adventures of how he came to be with his princess but the romance stops when the princess starts ordering him around and ragging on him for being a lazy bag of...well you get the idea. Just as quickly though the princess is captured and the hero needs to save her yet again. This task is made easier by the friendly habitants of every island you jump on to. Though the wimp of a co-captain and his relationship he has with the fairy friend you meet up with keeps the dialog fresh and witty.

Proceeding through the single-player game you may find yourself wondering why the need to have a central temple that has to be visited more often than a bar bathroom on a Saturday night and in the end there really is no absolute need for this. After having what I calculated to be about a third of my life wasted meandering through open seas with an occasional monster to bother my ship so I stay awake I realize the creators only motivation to put this feature in to the game was to draw the game out so that they have to do less actual creating. Clever ones those game designers. While parts will seem to be simple and tendentious the gameplay is rewarding and the story line is intriguing enough to keep you coming back.

The DS overall is quite the machine but this game really showcase a great user interface that the DS has. Your movement follows where you touch on your bottom screen, then on your top screen is your map which can be dropped down and drawn on for reminders. Overall the controls are everything they could be and with these controls you get you will also be getting some of the best graphics available on DS. The slightly toony animation really work well with this game and with how much water is involved with this game this graphic milestone reached recreating it really is quite an achievement for the DS.

Another thing that really sets the Zelda above the rest of the mass quantity of DS games is that Zelda takes advantage of the wi-fi capabilities of the DS. With a nice little head to head escape that can be utilized any time the puzzles of Zelda seem to over-whelming or frustrating. In the multiplayer one player is set as the main character and the object is to carry varying sized triangles to different shaded regions to earn points. During this the opposing player is in control of three bots that if they catch their prey will instantly end the round. While simple and not particularly hard in theory this game can, if opponents are plentiful, provide hours of boredom busting.

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass is really a nice introduction to a seasoned Zelda player, a first timer, or even an individual who hasn't gotten their playing time in on this universe for a while. The single player while frustrating is rewarding and really allows for some great depth for a DS game. Graphics are top notch for this handheld which is in serious need of more games held to this standard and the online play is really just a great bonus that overall make this a fantastic addition to the DS library.

Score

9.5

Graphics

Fun all around, this may not be the most serious and hardcore Zelda out there but gameplay is complete and satisfying.

9.7

Sound

I can't imagine DS graphics getting much better than this.

7.0

Gameplay

It's a DS, the sound can't be expected to floor anyone. They get the job done and thats about it.

9.0

Fun Factor

Just a nice game that can go from easy to frustrating in the blink of an eye, but this combination keeps the game entertaining.

8.0

Online

Simple and fun mini-game is all that is really featured but it really is just a bonus to what is already a great game.